Lynda Lange (University of Toronto)

Abstract:  This paper examines the ethical and political tension between, on one hand, the tremendous advances made by women in the global north or wealthier countries of the world in their freedom to pursue their individual aspirations through work (apart from care or household work), and on the other hand, the extent to which these advances have depended in a practical sense on employing either women from poor countries of the global south, or women disadvantaged by race or class within the rich countries.  This “global off-loading of care”, as Allison Weir has strikingly termed it, along with what appears to be a serious conflict of interest between poor women and wealthy women of the North, is an important example of the differences and inequality between groups of women  that call into question the desirability, or even possibility, of general feminist theory.  I argue that it is also an important example of the great differences in wealth and power between wealthy countries and and the impoverished countries of the world that are the sources of these careworkers, that Thomas Pogge, in his World Poverty and Human Rights, has argued are morally indefensible from the point of view of human rights.  The latter has a particular edge to it regarding the women employers in wealthy countries, given that Pogge actually assigns personal responsibility for these differences to those who benefit from them, which these women clearly do.

            The ethic of care, as the most successful distinctively feminist approach to ethics and political philosophy, may be able to provide the most useful understanding of these differences and inequalities among women, especially in view of its deconstruction of the public/private distinction.  I consider some recent work, including Eva Feder Kittay and Virginia Held concerning the global division of labour in carework.  Or, is this ethical tension most usefully understood as a problem of human rights in the manner of Pogge’s approach?  There is also feminist critique of Pogge such as that of Fiona Robinson from the perspective of the ethic of care.  I compare Robinson with the analysis of Pogge by Carol Gould, from the perspective of her own theory of human rights grounded in a conception of equal positive freedom, but informed by the ethic of care. 

            I conclude with the suggestion that although this recent feminist work makes important contributions regarding the global need for better institutions for provision of care, and hence for greater global gender justice, it has little direct bearing on the ethical tension stated above regarding the exploitation of the paid labour of individual women in carework, and the conflict this seems to present for feminist ethics.

This seminar will also be webcast  (http://epresence.ehealthinnovation.org/epresence)